Losing Van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid for 16 magic beans and a rack of tracksuits was an insult. Even Peter Kenyon would've managed to squeeze a decent fee out of Madrid.

It worries me that United are starting this season with such little back up for Rooney and Saha and without a proven 20 - 25 goal a season striker. However, if Louis Saha's balsa wood legs can remain free of injury we should still carry a suitably potent attacking threat, particularly if Scholes can maintain the sort of form he's been showing in pre-season (sending off aside).

It was great to see Ronaldo return for pre-season training. I just hope opposing fans will tone down the abuse somewhat after the hell which the poor boy has experienced.

It was also great to see Michael Carrick arrive at Old Trafford. With a huge price tag and a famous number on his back, I just hope he can live up to the billing. If he can forge a good working partnership with Scholes, I expect to see United play some good possession football this season.

I think it's unlikely Chelsea will develop the complacent, indifferent approach which has served Real Madrid so well over the past few seasons so I believe that a consolidation of our 2nd place status is the best we can hope for. Prediction: 2nd. Mike Schofield

Middlesbrough

With a new manager but as yet few new players the season ahead is looking like a step into the unknown for Boro. Can Gareth Southgate make that leap from inspirational captain to shrewd and astute manager? Can he mesh the youngsters and older heads into an effective unit?

Expect teenagers like Lee Cattermole and Adam Johnson to make a mark on the Premiership with more seasoned midfielders Fabio Rochemback and George Boateng will be key players. Boateng should be an able successor to Southgate as skipper but the manager will find it a more difficult task to plug the huge gap left be his own retirement from the heart of the defence.

We will need to inject more pace into the side either from the transfer market or from the conveyor belt of young talent and get more balance in a left centric team. Yakubu must start finding the target again and blend quickly with Mark Viduka who will hopefully stay fit again.

Lots of questions remain that will only be answered on the pitch. A top ten finish should be in our sights. A return to Europe might just be beyond us this time round. Come on Boro. Robert Nichols, Fmttm.com

Newcastle United

On the back of an excellent run at the end of last season that snatched a Intertoto Cup spot from the jaws of a relegation dogfight, Newcastle enter the new season with a new permanent manager and renewed optimism.

Unfortunately, some of that optimism dissipated in Cologne this summer at the sight of a distraught Michael Owen, and the main reason for thinking Newcastle will do well to improve on last season's 7th place is the dearth of striking options in light of Owen's absence and Shearer's retirement.

On the positive side, the £5m signing of Duff promises to be one of the bargains of this or any other season. Steven Taylor is back from serious injury to compete with the recently less error-prone Titus Bramble and also Craig Moore. In combination with the imperious Given, the Newcastle backline may for once have a reasonably sturdy feel to it.

The season will live or die however on the ability of Chairman Shepherd to fund the acquisition of someone to find the back of the net.

In this respect, it must also be make or break for Ameobi who has flattered to deceive at this level far too often. Prediction: 6th. Andrew Bell.

Portsmouth

As Pompey have found this summer, it is one thing to have money, but quite another to try to spend it when your stadium and training facilities are League 1 at best.

High profile bids for Jermain Defoe, PSV's Jefferson Farfan and Nicolas Anelka all seemingly foundered, but with the season approaching finally Alexandre Gaydamak's money seems to be talking.

Sol Campbell has arrived, with David James probably not far behind. Another centre back and left back will also arrive, but more important will be the identity of the 15-goal-a-season striker we desperately need.

If it is in the Anelka, Forlan or Martins class, as rumoured, then there truly is a revolution going on at Fratton Park. If it's Kanu then we'll be solid rather than spectacular. Prediction: 6th or 16th. Colin Farmery www.pompey-fans.com

Reading

After the success of last season, it's been a fairly quiet summer for most Reading fans – with just a couple of signings to add to the squad.

Seol Ki-Hyeon and Sam Sodje have joined from Wolves and Brentford respectively – although there have been rumours surrounding both John Mensah and Emerse Fae.

The current group of players won the Championship with something to spare, although whether they can make the step up remains to be seen. There's undoubtedly Premiership quality in the likes of Sidwell, Convey and Lita, whilst you'd hope players such as Harper, Little and Kitson can make the grade.

Defensively, there are concerns about how we can handle Premiership-quality forwards, although 'keeper Marcus Hahnemann won us numerous points last season. On our day, I'd like to think we've got the ability to do well against most teams, but it's just doing it week in, week out with a small squad that's going to be the test.

What is important is a good start – and we can certainly pick up points from our first few games before it starts to get harder. If we can get some early wins, then I'm confident we'll do ok.

Chris Holmes

Sheffield United

The Blades gained promotion by finishing runners-up to Reading last term, and of the 3 promoted managers, Neil Warnock certainly seems to have been the busier. He has strengthened the squad in all areas of the pitch.

A solid back-up keeper was always a priority and Ian Bennett's experience will be invaluable. His signing may also mean abandoning the usual tactic of naming five outfield substitutes!

With Bennett, Rob Hulse also joined from local rivals Leeds. Many eyebrows were raised at the £2.2 million price tag, and despite scoring in the pre-season tour of Holland, some doubts still remain over the striker.

Bolstering the Blades' defence was a priority, and Warnock has done so with the capture of David Sommeil, and record signing Claude Davis. Great things are expected from Davis, who oozed class last term for Championship rivals Preston. Sommeil is another excellent signing, who will add maturity to a Blades defence which lacked organisation at times last season.

Warnock has also made further additions to his squad – French Under 21 striker Christian Nade joins on a free from Troyes, Li Tie makes the switch from Everton and utility man Mikele Leigertwood.

Hopes are therefore high at Bramall Lane this season, but most fans are relishing seeing Warnock square up to some of the big named managers in the Premiership – post-match interviews on Match of the Day will certainly be more lively! Prediction: 15th ( But if you offered me 17th place now, I’d take it like a shot). Lee Smith

Tottenham

When Spurs lost to West Ham on the final day of last season, thanks to food poisoning (or whatever it was), and lost fourth spot to Arsenal in the process, it was easy to think that a rare opportunity to break into the Champions League elite had been missed.

However, the events of this summer have suggested that the opportunity might not have been as rare as we thought. Spurs have bought well and wisely – Didier Zokora was impressive at the World Cup, Dimitar Berbatov looks a dangerous striker – while Arsenal seem to be haemorrhaging players, Thierry Henry's new deal notwithstanding.

Realistically, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool remain out of Spurs' reach, while the clubs who were in the hunt for a UEFA Cup spot have been weakened – Wigan, Blackburn, Newcastle and Bolton have all lost key players this summer.

That leaves Arsenal as our genuine nearest rivals, for the first time in 15 years. Which club comes out on top may depend on four or five factors: Can Zokora replace Michael Carrick? Can the Spurs squad cope with the extra European games? Will Arsenal adapt to their new stadium? Can Thierry Henry stay as freakishly injury-free as ever? Can Spurs stop throwing away points in the last ten minutes? If three or more of these factors go in Spurs' favour, White Hart Lane may yet have its fourth place after all. Prediction: Ideally 4th. Realistically 5th. Chris Leadbeater

Watford

If Aidy Boothroyd has taught Watford supporters anything, it's to aim high and believe you can get there. Indeed, it was an unshakeable belief, coupled with no shortage of talent and tactical nous, that took Watford to play-off success. The belief was clear for all to see among the players and officials right from the start of last season.

That belief is going to be crucial this season, and even Boothroyd probably knows deep down that it will be given a sterner test this season than last. With that in mind, his summer signings are crucial - particularly in their ability to 'fit in'. In '99, we saw a team reach the top flight thanks mainly to a superb team spirit; a couple of heavy defeats and the signing of a mad Frenchman, and the spirit had apparently evaporated by the end of November.

In his signings so far – Chris Powell, Damien Francis, Danny Shittu and Tamas Priskin, with Ben Foster likely to return – Boothroyd has bought very sensibly. Only Priskin was an unknown quantity to the supporters, and following a successful trial, his comments suggest he very much understands and supports the team ethic Boothroyd has created.

Last season, the aspirations of most Watford supporters amounted to beating Luton and avoiding the drop. But I am confident of a very enjoyable season. We know no-one gives us a hope in hell; that just adds to the fun. Prediction: 12th (Sorry Aidy!). Mike Smart, www.bsad.org

West Ham

Alan Pardew's summer signings have been stranger than David Pleat's pronunciation skills. Lee Bowyer's return has divided fans: he's as welcome as a bird flu epidemic, as far as I'm concerned.

Elsewhere, we've exchanged the comical defending skills of Lionel Scaloni for the comic-sounding John Pantsil, the shaky Elliot Ward for the equally unreliable Jonathan Spector and the anonymous Yaniv Katan for the promising Carlton Cole.

I desperately want us to sign a decent alternative to Roy Carroll, who's a good shot-stopper but makes David James look rock-solid when it comes to claiming crosses.

Provided the board can change the habits of a lifetime and turn down the filthy lucre for our best young players, a mid-table finish and a respectable run in the UEFA Cup awaits. Prediction: 11th. Barry Collins, footblog.typepad.com

Wigan Athletic

After our fantastic first season in the Premiership comes a new season expected to be even harder and more challenging.

However, going off the signings we have already made, Wigan fans can look forward to 19th August not only with excitement but with optimism. After losing players like Jason Roberts and Jimmy Bullard, Jewell has gone out and signed even better players, Emile Heskey a proven international, and our key player for the

upcoming season, in my opinion, Denny Landzaat.

Landzaat in particular is an exciting prospect. A current regular in the Holland international side, he has the vision and passing technique Bullard could only dream of. We have strengthened well this summer, but there is still a need for another forward and cover for the left hand side of the team, both in defence and midfield.

If Jewell can continue to sign quality players, many whom have an international pedigree, then the new season is one to look forward to. The

old saying goes that the second season is always harder than the first, but the brilliant signings made by Jewell and co. mean that a relegation battle is something we won't have to fear. Prediction: Mid-table - 9th. Liam Cooper, wiganer.net